Portion pack for preparing beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation systems face challenges with complex handling and inaccurate metering of substances in portion packs, particularly in refillable capsules, which hinder repeated usability and environmental sustainability.
Innovation Solution
A portion pack comprising a detachably fixed container with a reusable adapter for easy insertion into beverage preparation machines, featuring a liquid-permeable design and coding for substance identification, allowing for simple handling and optimized production costs, with the container made from biologically decomposable materials and the adapter from non-biodegradable transparent plastic for efficient reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If refillable capsules are used for beverage preparation, then repeated usability is achieved, but handling becomes complex and metering accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two segments: a reusable adapter that remains in the machine and a disposable container that is inserted and removed. This segmentation allows the container to be easily replaced without complex handling, while the adapter provides the mechanical interface and coding recognition functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed as a disposable, low-cost component made from biologically decomposable materials. It is pre-filled with the exact metered quantity of substance, eliminating the need for complex filling and metering operations by the user, while the expensive adapter with coding recognition is reused.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual filling of capsules is performed, then flexibility is achieved, but metering precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-filled with the exact metered quantity of substance required for beverage preparation. This preliminary action of precise metering is performed during manufacturing rather than at the point of use, ensuring accurate dosing while allowing the user to simply insert the pre-prepared container into the adapter.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the container is made from biologically decomposable materials, then environmental sustainability is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter acts as an intermediary that provides the mechanical strength and structural support required for handling and insertion into the machine. The biologically decomposable container only needs to hold the substance and allow water permeation, so it can be made from environmentally friendly materials with lower mechanical strength requirements, while the reusable adapter compensates for any strength deficiencies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables simple and repeated use of the portion pack, accurate substance identification, and environmentally friendly disposal, reducing mechanical stress on the adapter and ensuring precise metering without complex handling procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The means for light deflection can deflect a light beam entering at the bottom of the adapter at least twice, so that the light beam at least partially exits again at the bottom of the adapter.
Implementation Method 2
A read device can then radiate a light beam into the bottom of the adapter, which then alternately is incident on the coding or not, so that it influences an emission of the light beam, so that an identification of the container is enabled.
Implementation Method 3
the container is at least regionally liquid-permeable or can be perforated during the beverage preparation
Data Source
AI summary
A portion pack for preparing beverages, in particular tea or coffee, comprises a container for holding a substance suitable for beverage preparation and an adapter which can be inserted into a machine for beverage preparation. The container is liquid-permeable at least in some regions or can be perforated during the beverage preparation. The container is releasably fastened to the adapter. The adapter can be reused to prepare a plurality of beverages.